OMH considers mental health screening, particularly TeenScreen, vital for identifying those who are silently suffering from mental health disorders that may put them at risk for suicide. Depression, the leading cause of teen suicide, often has no visible warning signs for parents or teachers and screening is recognized as a highly effective method to find young people in need. TeenScreen also includes information about provider referrals for teens that need services, a key strategy encouraged by the state.
"Screening is crucial to catching young people before they fall," said Laurie Flynn, Director of the Carmel Hill Center at Columbia University. "It is our sincere hope that these suggestions will be adopted by all counties in New York and that screening becomes a routine part of adolescent health care," said Flynn.
TeenScreen is a scientifically tested, voluntary, computer or pencil-and- paper questionnaire, developed by the Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at Columbia University. It has been shown to be an effective way of finding youth with mental health disorders unknown to adults. TeenScreen requires parental consent and teen assent. If a teen is found to be at possible risk, information is shared with parents and the program assists in connecting them to mental health resources and services. Surveys and follow- up studies with parents show counseling to be the most common and popular form of help sought for teens participating in the program.
The program, currently used in 43 states, is funded by private family foundations and individual contributions, and does not receive any support from pharmaceutical companies. There are 18 TeenScreen sites in New York and they are located in such varied communities as New York City, Westchester County and Orange County.
The TeenScreen Program provides consultation, training, screening tools, software and technical assistance free of charge to schools and communities who want to implement their own voluntary mental health screening programs.
In addition to OMH, TeenScreen has been endorsed by the President's New Freedom Commission on Mental Health and more than 30 national health, education and social service groups.